Side registering mechanism



A ril 13, 1965 H. E. PEYREBRUNE 3,178,176

SIDE REGISTERING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 21, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INV EN TOR.

HENRI E. PEYREBRUNE BY MM1/W ATTORNEYS A ril 13, 1965 H. E. PEYREBRUNE 3,178,176

SIDE REGISTERING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 21, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.3

INVENTOR.

HENRI E. PEYREBRUNE BY ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,178,176 SIDE REGISTERING MECHANISM Henri E. Peyrebrune, River Forest, Ill., assignor to Miehle Goes-Dexter, Incorporated, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 21, 1963, Ser. No. 252,752 Claims. (Cl. 271-59) The invention relates to printing press structure and has reference in particular to side registering mechanism for side registering the successive sheets of paper fed to the press for the printing operation.

The apparatus as herein illustrated employs the usual drop roller and oscillating segment lever for effecting side registration of the sheets. However, the invention contemplates that the roller will be lifted immediately after the side registering action has been completed so as to allow the front edge of the following underlapped sheet to pass the side registering guide member. It is further contemplated that the combination top guard plate and guide member Will be retracted from its registering position immediately after the front grippers have closed on a sheet so as to permit the undisturbed forwarding of a sheet such as may be slightly out of square.

Another desirable operating feature of the present apparatus resides in the fact that the combination unit is returned to its registering position early in the registering cycle and without any clamping action on the side edge of the outgoing sheet.

Another and more specific object of the invention is to provide an improved device for side registering sheets wherein early positioning in the registering cycle of the combination top guard plate and guide member is made possible by the retracting and returning movement of the said combination unit which takes place in a lateral direction substantially in the plane of the sheets and at right angles to the edge which is to be side registered.

Another object is to provide sheet registering apparatus wherein the drop roller and the unitary top guard plate and guide member are actuated by a single cam element and in a manner wherein the desired delayed action will take place between the lifting of the drop roller and the lateral retraction of the combination unit.

Still a further object is to provide sheet registering apparatus as above described wherein the lifting of the drop roller effects the lateral retraction of the combination unit and wherein the delay in the lateral retraction of the combination unit is adjustable within limits.

Another object is to provide a device for side register ing sheets as described which will incorporate improved means for adjusting the vertical position of the combination top guard plate and guide member so as to accommodate sheets of different thickness.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of side registering apparatus that can be moved along the frame of the press for adjustment to sheets of various widths and wherein the basic adjusting mechanism will incorporate means for effecting a micro-adjustment.

With these and various other objects in view, the invenion may consists of certain novel features of construction and operation, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the specification, drawings and claims appended thereto.

In the drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the device and wherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts- FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of the side registering apparatus comprising the present invention, with parts of the micro-adjusting means being shown in section;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional View taken substantially along line 22 of FIGURE 1 and showing the single cam element for actuating the drop roller and also the combination top guard plate and guide member; and

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 33 of FIGURE 2.

The carrier frame or housing for the side registering apparatus is indicated in the drawings by the numeral 19, and said carrier frame is suitably supported on that part of the press frame indicated by numeral 11. The said part 11 of the press frame is provided with rack teeth 12 which are employed in a manner as will be presently described for adjusting the position of the apparatus so as to accommodate sheets of different widths. The drive shaft 14 is suitably journalled and driven by the press and said shaft also has a journalled relation with the carrier frame 10. The shaft rotates continuously during the operation of the press. An actuating cam 15 is fixed to the shaft and the cam is disposed with respect to the carrier frame as shown in FIGURE 2. The carrier frame provides the underplate 16 which forms a sheet feeding surface, the same having a substantially rectangular opening 17 therein for receiving the segments 18 provided by the segment lever 20. Said lever is journalled by the carrier frame at 21, and at a midpoint between the segment 18 and its pivot shaft 21 the lever mounts a roller 22, FIGURE 3, by means of the stub shaft 23 and securing bolt 24. The roller 22 functions as a cam follower since it is located within the cam race 25 of the box cam 26. The said box cam is located on shaft 14, being fixedly secured thereto and accordingly as the shaft 14 rotates the segment lever 20 will be oscillated, the extent and timing of which will be determined by the cam race 25.

The drop roller 28 is positioned immediately over the rectangular opening 17 so that the roller may have contact with segment 18 when the roller is operatively posi tioned. The roller 28 is suitably mounted for rotation on the projecting end of the shaft 30 suitably anchored in the end of the horizontal arm 32. Arm 32 is part of a three-armed lever 31 which includes the said horizontal arm 32, the depending arm 33, and the upright arm 34. Lever 31 is suitably journalled by the carrier frame 10 at 35, and said lever is adapted to oscillate, being so actuated by cam 15 for the purpose of lifting roller 28 into an inoperative position and for then returning the roller to an operative position, both said actions taking place during each registering cycle.

The arm 32 of lever 31 carries the pin 36 which is threaded for part of its length for threaded relation at 37 with the arm and with the locking nut 38. The knurled top 40 of the pin 36 permits convenient rotation of the pin for adjusting its operative length and which can then be locked in adjusted position by the nut 38.

The roller 28 is yieldin ly urged in a direction toward the segment 18 and thus into an operative position by the coil spring 42 having encircling relation with the rod 43. The rod is pivoted at 44 to the upright arm 34 and said rod at its opposite end extends through the frame 10 as does also the coil spring 42. The several parts at said end are retained by the adjusting nut 45 which is threaded into the frame at 46 and the locking nut 47 is provided for retaining the nut 45 in desired adjusted position.

The lever 31 is rocked in a clockwise direction to elevate the roller 28 by the cam 15 and said lever is returned to thus return the roller to its operative position by the tension exerted by the coil spring 42. The tension can be adjusted by varying the position of the adjusting nut 4-5. The action of the cam 15 is transmitted to the cam follower 48 carried by lever 50, the said lever being pivoted to the carrier frame at 51. The bevelled end of the lever 50 is located within an opening formed lever 31. Accordingly upwar'd movement of the plunger will rock' the arm 32 to lift the roller '28. Downward movement of the plunger. will permit the arm and the roller to descend into its operative position. The plunger ZJlS guided in it's up and down movement by the fixed rod 54- located within the side-recess 55.

A support member indicated in its entirety by 56 is pivoted to the carrier frame by the pin 57, as best shown in -FIGURE 2, and said member is provided with the horizontal flange 58 and with a depending end portion 60. The support member provides a support for the combination top guard plate 61 and the side registering guide member "62, the said combination unit being adjustably fixed to the support member by means of a bracket 63. FIGURE 3' shows the top guard plate 61 as having a rectangular opening 19 formed therein and which is in alignment with the -droprollcr 28 located above and also in alignment withthe similar shaped opening 17 located below in the underplate 16. The openings 17 and 19 are sufficiently large in size to allow the drop roller to descend for operative coaction with the oscillating segment 18. When operative, the roller will contact the sheet of paper A located on the sheet supporting surface 16 and said sheet will be side registered when moved into 'contact'with the guide member 62 by oscillating movement of segment 18 in that direction. FIGURE 3 also shows the two securing screws 59 which fixedly secure'the combination unit to the bracket 63.

The bracket '63 has a laterally extending flange 64 which extends from the left side of the bracket, FIG- URE 1, whereas said bracketalong its right hand side is provided with a pair of recesses such as 65. By

theflange 64 of the bracket in overlying relation with theflange 58 of the-support member. The screws 66 extend through openings in the bracket which are somewhat larger in diameter than that of the screws, thus providing for vertical adjustment of the bracket as regards itspositiononthe pivoted support 56. Adjustment of the bracket on the support 56 is eifected by means of the screw 68 having threaded relation in the flange 58 of the support. The head 76 of screw 68 is located within a recess formed in the flange 64 of the bracket. It will also be observed that the head 70 is located directly below an opening 71 formed in the top guard plate 61 and which continues through the guide member 62. It will be understood that the opening 71 is somewhat smaller in diameter than head 70 and as a result the head 76 can be considered as confined between the flange 64 andthe guide member'62, with the flange providing a backing for the said head. When it is desired to adjust the position of the bracket on the support 56, a suitable tool is inserted through opening 71 into the socket opening 72 formed in the head 70. The screw 68 can now be rotated in either direction for adjusting the position of the bracket 63 vertically relative to the support 56. It will be understood that the screws 66 and spring washers 67 exert sufiicient force on the bracket 63 to prevent movement of said bracket under ordinary operating conditions, but they permit the bracket 63 to move relative to the support 56 when the screw 68 is adjusted. The said adjustment will in turn vary the spacing of the top guard plate 61 with respect to the sheet feeding surface provided by the under plate 16. Accordingly, the adjustment enables the top guard plate to accommodate sheets of different thickness.

The oscillating movement of the three-armed lever 31 is employed in retracting and in returning the top guard 4 plate and guide member. Since the combination unit is fixed to the bracket 63 which is in turn fixed to the support 56, the combination unit has oscillating movement on the horizontal axis of pin 57 and which movement is effected in one direction by the depending arm 33 and in a reverse direction by resilient means. The structure for accomplishing the foregoing includes the block 74, pivotally secured at 75 to the depending end 60 of the support 56. At theright hand end, the block 74 carries the threaded stud 76 extending outwardly from the block and which is locked in the desired projecting position by the nut '77. The left hand end of the block is integral with the rod 78 and which retains'the coil spring 80 which has encircling relation with the rod, the said I rod and coil spring both extending through the frame 10 to project beyond the frame. The adjusting nut 81 and the locking nut 82 are associated with the projecting parts and with the frame so that the tension of coil spring 80 can be varied.

The stud 76 is in alignment with the terminal end of the depending arm 33, but said stud is spaced a slight distance from the arm when the parts are positioned as shown in FIGURE 1. When the parts are thus positioned the coil spring 80 is effective to yieldingly bias the pivoted support 56 in a counterclockwise direction which locates the combination top guard plate 61 and guide member 62 in a horizontal position parallel to the feeding surface presented by the plate 16. The combination unit is maintained in the upright position by the tension exerted by coil spring 80 and by the stop screw S3 which is in contact with the flange 64. This upright position of the combination unit can be adjusted by turning the screw 83 which is threaded in the frame 10 and the screw can be locked by the nut 84. The sheet A shown in FIGURE 1 is in the process of being side registered, since the sheet is located between the roller 28 and the segment 18. 'Upon movement of the segment in a direction towards the right, the side edge of the sheet will be moved into contact with the guide member 62 for side registration. As soon as the side guide action is completed, the roller 28 is lifted by the action'of cam 15 in rocking the lever 31. Said movement of lever 31 will move the depending arm 33 towards the stud 76. However, the space-normally existing between the parts provides for a delay between the lifting of the roller and contact of arm 33 with said stud. The time of contact can be adjusted within limits by varying the extension of stud 76 with respect to block 74. Eventually the arm 33 will contact the stud, and the block 74 will be moved to the left against the'tension of coil spring 80. This action will cause the support 56 to pivot on shaft 57 and thus the combination top guard plate and guide member is rocked into'a retracted position as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 1. This retracted position takes place after the front grippers have closed on the sheet, and thus the sheet can be forwarded in an undisturbed manner which is particularly desirablein the event the sheet is slightly out of square. It will also be observed that the retracting'movement of the combination unit takes place in a lateral direction in substantially the plane of the sheet and at right angles to the edge which has been side registered.

The action of lever 31 is such that arm 33 moves out of contactwith stud 76 to allow the return of the combination top guard plate and guide member to upright position beforethe roller 28 is returned to its operative position; Also, the construction and arrangement of the parts is such that the combination unit can be returned Without clamping the rear side edge of the outgoing sheet. This makes possible an early return in the registering cycle ofthe combination unit so as to give maximum time for the registering operation. The lifting of the roller and the retracting and returning movement of the combination top guard plate and guide member are both obtained from the action of a single cam member and in a manner whereby a time delay occurs in the successive operations of the respective parts. Nothwithstanding the fact that the combination unit is adapted to have rocking movement to effect its retraction and return, it is nevertheless possible to adjust the top guard plate so as to accommodate sheets of various thickness. Said adjustment is perpendicular, or in other words, normal to the plane of the paper.

When the plunger 52 is in a down position as shown in FIGURE 2 it acts as a stop for the pin 36. Since the pin is carried by the arm 32, the action of the coil spring 42 is to yieldingly force the arm in a counterclockwise direction to yieldingly maintain the pin 36 against the plunger. Accordingly, the plunger in down position acts to locate the roller 28 in its drop position for coaction with the segment 18 for moving the sheets laterally for side registration. This operative coacting position of the roller can be adjusted by adjusting the pin as with respect to arm 32. For this reason a portion of the pin is threaded as described and when the pin has been properly located in arm 32 its position can be locked by the locking nut 38.

The carrier frame and the side registering apparatus supported by the frame are movable along the frame of the press in order to accommodate sheets of different widths. For this purpose the frame portion 11 of the press is provided with rack teeth 12 and the carrier frame it journals the shaft 3'5 to which is fixed at one end the pinions 86 and 87 having meshing relation with the rack teeth. The knurled top 88 is fixed to shaft 85 at the end opposite the pinions and immediately adjacent thereto a similar knob 90 is threaded on the shaft 85. Said knob 9% has contact with the end of the tubular sleeve 91 having telescoping relation with shaft 85. The shaft 85 at the end adjacent the pinion 86 has suitably fixed thereto the clamping plate 92 and the end of sleeve 91 adjacent pinion 87 has fixed thereto a similar clamping plate 93. The shaft and sleeve combination extends through a passage 94 provided by the carrier frame and which is somewhat larger in diameter than the sleeve. The threaded screws 95 are mounted in the carrier frame, being diametrically opposed, with the sleeve and shaft combination being located therebetween.

When it is desired to change the position on the press frame of the side registering mechanism, the knob 98 is turned in a direction to release its contact with the sleeve 91 and thus the clamping plates 92 and 93 release their contact with the sides of the frame portion 11. Shaft 85 can now be rotated in either direction to cause the apparatus to move along the press frame. When the desired position is reached the knob 90 is turned so as to draw the clamping plates 92 and 93 together, whereby they clamp the sides of the frame portion 11 and hold the carrier frame in the desired adjusted position. By rotating either of the screws 95 a very fine adjustment or micro-adjustment of the carriers position can be obtained.

The invention is not to be limited to or by details of the construction of the particular embodiment thereof illustrated by the drawings as various other forms of the device will, of course, be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a printing press having a sheet feeding surface on which sheets move to be printed, in combination, side registering means for the sheets including a combination top guard plate and guide member, pivot means supporting the combination top guard plate and guide member for oscillating movement in a lateral direction substantially in the plane of the sheets and at right angles to the registered edge, a roller disposed above the sheet feeding surface, pivot means for supporting the roller for oscillating movement towards and from the sheet feeding surface, cam means for moving said pivot means and thus said roller in one direction, and coacting means provided by the pivot means for the roller and by the pivot means for the combination top guard plate and guide member respectively, whereby the former effects actuation of the latter following a time delay to cause movement of the combination top guard plate and guide member in one direction.

2. In a printing press having a sheet feeding surface on which sheets move to be printed, in combination, side registering means for the sheets including a top guard plate and guide member, pivot means supporting the combination top guard plate and guide member for oscillating movement in a lateral direction substantially in the plane of the sheets and at right angles to the registered edge, resilient means normally maintaining the top guard plate and guide member against a stop with the top guard plate disposed over and parallel to the sheet feeding surface, a roller located above the sheet feeding surface, pivot means for supporting the roller for oscillating movement towards and from the sheet feeding surface, second resilient means normally maintaining the pivot means for the roller against a stop with the roller located in operative relation with the sheet feeding surface, cam means for moving said pivot means and thus the roller in one direction against the tension of the second resilient means, and coacting means provided by the pivot means for the roller and the pivot means for the combination top guard plate and guide member respectively, whereby the former effects actuation of the latter following a time delay to cause movement of the combination top guard plate and guide member in one direction against the tension of its resilient means.

3. In a printing press as defined by claim 2, wherein the pivot axis for the roller is laterally spaced from the pivot axis for the combination top guard plate and guide member, and wherein both axes are parallel to each other and substantially parallel to the registered edge of the sheets.

4. In a printing press as defined by claim 2, additionally including sheet moving means located below the sheet feeding surface and mounted for oscillating movement, and second cam means for oscillating the sheet moving means, said second cam means having rotation in timed relation with the cam means for moving the roller.

5. In a printing press having a sheet feeding surface on which sheets move to be printed, the combination with a carrier frame, of side registering means for the sheets including a support member, a pivot shaft mounted by the carrier frame and pivotally mounting the support member, a combination top guard plate and guide member fixed to the support member and adapted to have oscillating movement to and from a registering position and a retracted position, said combination top guard plate in registering position being located over in spaced parallel relation to the sheet feeding surface, said pivot shaft be ing so oriented that movement of the combination top guard plate and guide member into a retracted position takes place in a lateral direction substantially in the plane of the sheets and at right angle to the registered edge, a roller disposed above the sheet feeding surface, pivot means mounted by the carrier frame for supporting the roller for oscillating movement towards and from the sheet feeding surface, cam means for moving the pivot means and thus the roller in one direction, and the said pivot means supporting the roller having a part operative to contact the support member when the roller is moved in said one direction and move the support member and thus the combination top guard plate and guide member into a retracted position.

6. In a printing press as defined by claim 5, additionaliy including adjustable means for securing the combination top guard plate and guide member to the support member, whereby the combination top guard plate can be fixed to the support member in adjusted positions to vary its (I spaced relation with the sheet feeding surface so as accommodate sheets of different thickness.

7. In a printing press as defined by claim 5, wherein the pivot axis for the means supporting the roller is later ally spaced from the pivot shaft mounting the support member, and wherein both the pivot axis and the pivot shaft are parallel to each other and substantially parallel to the registered edge of the sheet.

8. in a printing press'having a sheet feeding surface on which sheets move to be printed, the combination with a carrier frame, of side registering means for the sheets including a support member, a pivot shaft mounted by the carrier frame for pivotally mounting the support member, a combination top guard plate and guide member fixed to the support memberand adapted to have oscillating movement to and from a registering position and a retracted position, resilient means biasing the support member against a stop to locate the top guard plate in registering position located over in spaced relation to the sheet feeding surface, said pivot shaft being so oriented that movement of the combination top guard plate and guide memher into a retracted position takes place in a lateral direction substantially in the plane of the sheets at right angle to the registered edge, a lever arm carrying a ro er at one end, a second pivot shaft mounted in the carrier frame and mounting the lever arm for oscillating movement whereby the roller may move towards and from the sheet feeding surface, second resilient means for biasing the lever arm against a second stop to locate the roller in operative relation with the sheet feeding surface, cam means for moving the lever arm to move the roller in a direction away from its operative relation with the sheet feeding surface, and said lever arm having a part operative to contact the support member when said lever arm is moved by the cam means and move the support member and thus the combination top guard plate and guide member into a retracted position.

9. In a printing press as defined by claim 8, wherein said second stop comprises a plunger mounted by the carrier frame for vertical reciprocating movement, and additional including means operatively connecting the cam means with the said plunger, whereby said plunger is receiprocated by the cam means to cause the lever arm to oscillate.

10. in a printing press as defined by claim 8, additionally including a frame part provided by the printing press and on which said carrier frame is supported for movement, means adapted to be manually rotated comprising a shaft journalled by the carrier frame and having a geared relation with the frame part, and means associated with the shaft and said frame part for locking the shaft against rotation.

11. In side guide mechanism for side registering sheets, in combination, a sheet supporting surface, a side registering member located at one side of the sheet supporting surface, pivot means supporting the side registering memher for oscillating movement in a lateral direction substantially in the plane of the sheet and at right angles to the registered edge, a roller disposed above the sheet supporting surface, other pivot means for supporting the roller for oscillating movement towards and from the sheet supporting surface, cam means for moving said other pivot means and thus said roller in one direction, and said other pivot means having a part operative to contact the first mentioned pivot means, when the roller is moved in said one direction, and move the first mentioned pivot means and thus the side registering member into a retracted position.

12. In side guide mechanism for side registering sheets,

in combination, a sheet supporting surface, a side registering member located at one side of the sh at supporting surface, a pivot shaft located below the side registering member for supporting the same for oscillating moveplace to and from. an upright operative position and a pivoted retracted ment, said-osc'llating movementtaldng retracted position when the lever is moved to lift the roller.

13. In side guide mechanism for side registering sheets as defined by claim 12, wherein the second pivot shaft is laterally spaced from the first mentioned pivot shaft, and wherein the pivot shafts are parallel to each other and substantially parallel to the registered edge of the sheet.

14. in side guide mechanism for side registering sheets as defined by claim 12, wherein the said part of the lever for moving the side registering member is operative following the lapse of a period of time after initial lifting movement of the roller, whereby the roller is substantially lifted before initial movement of the side registering member takes place.

15. In a side guide mechanism for side registering sheets on the register table of a sheet processio machine, in combination, a sheet supporting surface a register guide having a register position adjacent one edge of said surface and'wherein it'intercepts the plane of a sheet on said surface, means for moving a sheet laterally on said surface to register the edge thereof against said register guide, said means including a sheet engaging element adapted to have oscillating movement toward and away from said surface at predetermined intervals, means for supporting said element including a lever pivotally mounted about an axis spaced laterally from the said'one edge of said surface, a support member for the register guide, pivot means for the support member having its axis below and substantially in vertical alignment wlththe said one edge of said surface, and an arm on said lever adapted to contact the support member at a point below its pivot axis after a sheet has been side registered and after the sheet engaging element has moved a predetermined eX- tent in a direction away from said surface, whereby upon continued movement of said element the register guide is moved laterally away from said register position and substantially in the plane of the sheet to thereby provide clearance for the registered sheet.

References (Iited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,553,148 5/51 Rowlands 271-59 2,712,936 7/55 Backhouse 271-59 2,823,039 2/58 Backhouse et al 27 l-59 References 'Cited by the Applicant UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,730,362 1/56 Koch.

SAMUEL F. CGLEMAN, Acting Primary Examiner.

RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Examiner. 

1. IN A PRINTING PRESS HAVING A SHEET FEEDING SURFACE ON WHICH SHEETS MOVE TO BE PRINTED, IN COMBINATION, SIDE REGISTERING MEANS FOR THE SHEETS INCLUDING A COMBINATION TOP GUARD PLATE AND GUIDE MEMBER, PIVOT MEANS SUPPORTING THE COMBINATION TOP GUARD PLATE AND GUIDE MEMBER FOR OSCILLATING MOVEMENT IN A LATERAL DIRECTION SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE PLANE OF THE SHEETS AND AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE REGISTERED EDGE, A ROLLER DISPOSED ABOVE THE SHEET FEEDING SURFACE, PIVOT MEANS FOR SUPPORTING THE ROLLER FOR OSCILLATING MOVEMENT TOWARDS AND FROM THE SHEET FEEDING SURFACE, CAM MEANS FOR MOVING SAID PIVOT MEANS AND THUS SAID ROLLER IN ONE DIRECTION, AND COACTING MEANS PROVIDED BY THE PIVOT MEANS FOR THE ROLLER AND BY THE PIVOT MEANS FOR THE COMBINATION TOP GUARD PLATE AND GUIDE MEMBER RESPECTIVELY, WHEREBY THE FORMER EFFECTS ACTUATION OF THE LATTER FOLLOWING A TIME DELAY TO CAUSE MOVEMENT OF THE COMBINATION TOP GUARD PLATE AND GUIDE MEMBER IN ONE DIRECTION. 